Prepared fuel.



A. B. LOW,

PREPARED FUEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEa.2a. |916.

'1,252,909 l Patented Jau. 8,1918.

Yara/board /nvreynafed aff/7 Sa//oefcr ana Sofa/1 ARTHUR R. Low, or DENVER, coLoRAn.

PREPARED FUEL.'

vApplication lcd February 21,8, 1916. Serial No. 80,827.

'o all whom it may concern Bc it known that I, ARTHUR B. Low, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver Vand State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Prepared Fuels; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tp the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My inventionrelates to a preparedfuel or combustible product, 'my object being'to provide an article of this class possessing such properties that it is readily ignitible, burns rapidly but'without iame or sparks, and that produces a relatively high degree of heat in proportion to the quantity or bulk of material consumed; My further object is to provide a .fuel which shall be well adapted for use in connection with the portable vulcanizing package protected by Letters Patent of the United States No.

1,163,629 issued to me December 7, 1915.

. for the bulk or My `improved fuel or prepared 'combustible material consists of some suitable p0rous or absorbent substance saturated with a solution of some suitable material as saltpeter or saltpeter and sugar or a solution of other material adapted to facilitate ignition, insure quick and complete combustion without {ia-me or sparks .and which,shall produce arelatively high degree of heat quantity of material consumed.

The porous or absorbent material may consist of heavy paperj as cardboard arranged'in one or more layers, caked sawdust, ound paper, wood pulp or any other materlal o f simllar or like character; even a non-combustible but porous holder for the solution may be employed thoughthe porous base itselfis preferably combustible.

The substance used to form thesolution mayconsistlof saltpeter in any of its forms as potassium nitrate (KNOB) ,sodium nitrate (NaNO3) sometimes called Chilesaltpeter;

and calcium nitratel (CaNOQ sometimes' called wall saltpeter; or other substance adapted to facilitate combustion and produce a relatively high degree of heat without flame or sparks or with a minimum only of sparks or ilam'e.'

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented J an.

In actual practice I take cardboard disks and immerse them, say for ve minutes, in a solution of saltpeter and sugar formed by' In the drawing I have illustrated the vul- I eanizing package protected by the aforesaid patent, in order to indicate *one of the uses which I have in mind for my improved prepared fuel. In this drawillgf`- Y Figure 1 is a' perspective view ofv a disk,..--

of porous material as cardboard adapted grluse in the preparation'of my improved plete package. f Fig,` 3 is an elevation of the same.

In this drawing the numeral 5 designates the fuel member; the numeral 6 the metal receptacle in which the fuel is placed; and the numeral 7 the patch of gum or rubber which vis vulcanized 1n place upon the inner tube Fig. 2 is a section taken throughthe comof a tire for instance, when the aforesaid package is utilized. V

Attention is called to the fact that while V a solution of saltpeter alone in 'any one of its aforesaid 'formslmay-be employed,v the combustion 'is rather too'violent and 1s at- /tende'd b v the throwin off 'of sparks to a considerable degree. T euse'of the combinationof s altpeter and sugar is preferred for the reason'that the Sugar tones down y the combustion, so to speak, rendering it less' violent, eliminates the undueemission` of sparks and enhances the degree ofheat.-

vulcanizing and similar u ses since it is of 'such character that it ignrtes quickly when 'a match is applied, and ignitlon rapldly Thisis an exceedingly valuable? fuel for spreads through the mass so that in a few .l

seconds the article 5 is completely y ignited and owing to its homogeneous character produces an even heat over the entire area of the patch 7 and of sufficient intensity to produce rapid vulcanization, the entire opera.- tion being completed in approximately five minutes, after which the metal receptacle 6 is readily removed and discarded, the patch maintainin its position u on the tire or other artic e which 1s' un ergomg repair.

y Another characteristic of this fuel is that ignition is quickly or practically immediately followed .by theformation of af protecting top covering of ash4 on the cake, whereby the escape of heat from the incandescent coal below is4 practically prevented, thus conserving the heat, whereby the fuel used is made exceeding etlicient and whereby it becomes practicable ,to' determine. 'in advance with reasonable accuracy the amount of fuel required to perform a predetermined vulcai'iizing act. Furthermore, the. character of the impregnating substance of this cake is such that the combustion is accomplished without the aid'of oxygen from the atmos- 'its own oxygen.

pliere. In other words, the fuelv furnishes This characteristic ymakes it. practicable to' confinethe fuel in a pan having a surrounding rim or flange, whereby .the fuel is properly protected and maintained in lplace during the vulcanizing act, and whereby the repaired article is protected from injury. Hence, the cake is composed of substances which on ignition cause it to be converted i almost immediately into` a burning coal incandescing vin direct contact with the vulcanizing plate, its composition being such that it does not depend upon the vulcanizing plate, against the surface of which the incondescing act continues, until the fuel is exhausted. The incandescence produced directly against the surface of the vulcanizing plate im arts thereto a degreeof heat which is regu ated or rather limited, bythe size and chemical composition of the block or cake, and in no other manner. The exposed orouter surface of the block or cake lwhen ignited becomes almost immediately carbonized and tends to; prevent the heat from rising, confining the incandescent coal directly against-the plate, the plate itself becoming so heated by this direct contact 'with the incandescence that the .vulcanizing is rapidly accomplished. The vulcanizing plate itself absorbs from' its direct/contact with this burning coal substantially all Athe heat vafforded by the combustion of the'heat unit.

The sugar furnishes combustible material `in the shape of bothcarbon and hydrogen,

but also exercises the most important function, under the action of 'heat and combustion, ofvforming a porousrcarbonaceous mass low heat conducting power. The

' ing nature.

potassium nitrate furnishes the oxygen for the initial' combustion and is used in such proportion "as to be insullicient for moreftha'n a partial combustion of the total combustible mattei' present. This primary combustion soon 4ceases by the exhaustion of potassium nitrate. The result of this combustion is the elevation of the entire mass to a high temperature. The sugar has partiallyburncd and its unburned residue is 'iii the form of a porous mass or skeleton of carbon. 'llie cardboard hasalso partially burned and likewise left aporous carbonaceous mass or skeleton. The residuary salt or salts from the decomposition of the potassium nitrate are left'largely on the surface of the mass and form la more or less protective coating from the surrounding air, of a non-conduct- The entire mass in the above porous state is very hot. Owing to its porous and non-conductin nature, intentionally produced as ldescri ed above, the heat is largely conserved and its transmissionto the outside, and therefore 'to the rubber to be vulcanized, is reatly retarded, 4and its action thereon or duration is properly prolonged.

In vulcanizing, the character of the fuel is very important, since the process is a delicate one and its success is due to the fact that all conditions are favorable; and I have found that in the absence of a proper fuel nothin can be accomplished. Thev knowl` edge o ythis fact .led to the discovery of the fuel herein described and which I have found entirely satisfactory, as it answers all the requirements in carrying out the 'delicate process of dry vulcanization. n

Having thus describedmy invention, what Claim 'lsf- .1. A fuel composed of a porous cake impregnated with' saltpeter and sugar.

2. A fuel composed of cardboard impregnated with saltpeter and sugar.

' 3. A fuel composed of cardboard impregnated with saltpeter and sugar employed in equal proportions.l j, f

4. The herein described process of producing a fuel, consisting in forming a solution of saltpeter and sugar, immersing a porous base therein until the latter is coml pletely saturated and finally removing the porous base and drying the same.

5. The` herein described process of vproducinga fuel, consisting in dissolving equal parts of saltpeter and sugar in water, "applying the solution to a porous base until the latter. is saturated and finally drying the saidbase.' H..

6. The herein described process of producing a fuel, consisting in'fapply'n a solution of saltpeter tocardboard unti Stlie latter is saturated-therewith, and finally drying the cardboard.' f Q 7. The herein described processof producT ing a fuel, consisting in applyinga solution of saltpeter and sugar to cardboard until thelatter is saturated therewith, and finally drying the cardboard.

8. The herein described process of producing a fuel, consisting in applying a solution of saltpeter and sugar, the two substances being employed in equal proportions, to cardboard until the latter is saturated therewith, and finally drying the cardboard.

9. A fuel composed of cardboard impregnated both with a self-oxidizing chemical ingredient and with a combustion retarding heat'retaining ingredient.

10. A fuel composed of cardboard impregnated with saltpeter in connection Wlth a combustion retardfing, heat retaining 'ingredient.

` 1l. A' fuel composed of a porous base impregnated with a self-oxidizing combustion promoting ingredient and .with a. combustion retarding heat retaining ingredient in such proportions as to produce heat for vulcanizingv purposes.

12. A fuel composed of a porous base impregnated with a self-oxidizing ingredient and a heat retaining ingredient, said ingredients being predetermined'as to heat units `whereby to produce heat in such degree and duration as to .be suitable for vulcanizing purposes.

13. A solid vulcanizing fuel cake impregnated with a substance adapted to support rapid combustion without the .aid of external oxygen and also with a substance which after artial combustion due to the oxygen supplied by the first-named substance, forms a porous mass of skeleton of low heat conductivityz the proprtiOns of the ngradients bemg such as to produce heat of proper degree and duration for vulcanizing purposes.

14. A fuel composed of a base of quick burning carbonaceous material impregnated with a non-carbonaceous material capable .when heated of supplying sufficient oxygen to the base to support. combustion, the base being also impregnated with a slow burning carbonaceous substance which after partial combustion due to the oxygen supplied by the first-named impregnatmg substance, becomes a porous mass or skeleton of low heat conductivity, the proportions of the said ingredients being suitable forvulcanizing purposes.

15,. A fuel composed of a porous base of quick burning carbonaceous material impregnated with a non-carbonaceous substance capable when heated of supplying sufficientoxygen to the base to maintain combustion, the base being also impregnated with a carbonaceous substance which after partialy being also impregnated with an oxidizing agent active under temperatures developed by combustion of the base and the firstnamedimpregnating substance, the proportions of the said ingredients being suitable to produce the required degree and duration of heat for vulcanizing purposes.

17. A fuel composed of a base of fibrous carbonaceous material impregnated with a carbohydrate and a soluble oxidizing agent capable of maintaining combustion without the aid of external oxygen,l the proportions of thesaid ingredients being such as to produce heat of proper degree and duration for vulcanizing purposes.

18. A fuel composed of asolid combustible, consisting of an oxidizing agent and carbonaceous material absorbed in a solid porous combustible binder, the constituents, materials-and proportions used being such 'that aI relatively high temperature is pro duced on ignition, the combustion effected however, being only partial,l and the unburned residue being of a light porousstructurally stable nature of low heat conductivity, with a more or less impervious, nonconducting exterior ash, so that the high heat produced is conserved and transmitted only slowly to the interior, and in degree and manner suitable for vulcanizing purposes. o In testimony wherepf I aix my slgnature, 1n presence of two witnesses.

GRACE HUs'roN, A. EBERT OBRIEN.

. or skeleton of lovvr heat conductivity, the base 

